Gardener (With Nursery Experience)  – Independent School

Reports to:  Gardens Manager

General Information

Uppingham School, founded in 1584, is a leading co-educational independent boarding school.  Its 800 pupils, aged 11-18, are accommodated in 15 boarding houses, taught by over 20 academic departments, and participate in numerous extra-curricular activities such as sports, music, and drama.  The academic programme is supported by business units responsible for marketing, estates, finance, human resources, IT, catering, cleaning, health and safety, and the school’s trading subsidiary.  The school employs almost 600 staff and operates seven days a week during term-time.

Uppingham is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and welcomes applications from anyone who feels they could fulfil the role.

Job Purpose

The school’s extensive gardens cover approximately 40 acres interspersed amongst teaching and administrative buildings and the 15 boarding houses. The team strives to achieve National Trust standards and RHS quality, through the maintenance, development and improvement of ornamental, mixed and herbaceous beds and borders; hard and soft landscaped areas; pots and planters both seasonally and permanently planted and surrounded by ornamental lawns and grassed areas.  The school possesses numerous mature trees and a constantly developing arboretum.

We are looking for a committed, experienced and passionate gardener with strong knowledge to assist in the maintenance, development and improvement of the school’s extensive gardens, by producing high-quality work that creates excellent visual impact for pupils, parents, visitors, staff and the Uppingham community to enjoy. You will also support in designing, growing and planting of both the town’s and the school’s floral displays, for the Uppingham and Britain in Bloom competitions.

Your accountabilities

Note:  this section is a guide to the nature and principal duties of the position as they currently exist and is not intended as a comprehensive list.

To undertake general day to day duties, dependent on the weather and work schedule, including but not limited to:

• To be responsible for our in-house nursery and be confident in propagation, growing on and tending to a variety of plants grown in our purpose built polytunnels
• Prepping/tending/pruning beds and borders, trees, plants and shrubs.
• Lawn mowing.
• Hedge cutting.
• Leaf collection.
• Hard and soft landscaping.
• Maintaining garden furniture and structures.
• Must be a confident driver and prepared to use a multitude of vehicles.
• Work alongside and assist with the wider estates department if needed.
• Other horticulture tasks.

Generic:

1. Produce and oversee a high-quality finish in all assigned duties.
2. Take responsibility for checking, managing and maintaining, all surrounding areas whilst at an assigned place of work.
3. Work in many varying locations around the school, independently or as part of a team.
4. Be responsible for self-evaluating and managing work produced.
5. Be responsible for all machinery and tools whilst in use, reporting any faults or issues.
6. Be responsible for the Health and Safety of yourself and others around you.
7. Use the estate team’s computer aided management tools to manage workflow and jobs.
8. Communicate effectively with the Gardens Manager, Deputy Gardens Manager, Team Leader and colleagues.

Person specification

The selection of candidates for short-listing will be based on this specification, and candidates should bear this in mind when preparing their application and completing the application form.

Skills and experience

• Experience in all horticultural operations, in a commercially paced environment. It will be very advantageous if the successful candidate has some nursery experience and have a keen interest in this area, as this will be a main area of responsibility for the successful applicant.
• Good verbal communication and the ability to listen and respond well to verbal instruction.
• Be able to demonstrate
  • Good plant knowledge.
  • Good basic horticultural techniques using hand tools and horticultural machinery.
  • Good eye for attention and detail
  • Professional passion and pride
  • Ability to:
    • Be decisive and confident in own skills and ability.
    • Self-motivate, self-evaluate and show initiative.
    • Work alone, with minimum supervision or as part of a team.
    • Work at a commercial pace and in a clean, efficient and logical manner.
    • Solve unexpected problems within the normal working day in a calm and logical manner.
    • Operate outside in all weather conditions.
    • Identify a good range of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants (desirable).

•  Experience in driving a wide range of vehicles (desirable)
• Willing to work as part of a team
• Full driving licence* (essential)
• PA1, PA2 and PA6 spraying certificates (desirable).
• RHS level 2 or equivalent (desirable).
• NPTC CS30 and CS31 Chainsaw Certificate (desirable).

* A full clean driving licence is essential. This position involves driving vehicles around the school’s estate.  Any offer of employment will therefore be conditional upon the successful candidate being accepted for insurance cover by the school’s insurance provider.  Whilst every application will be considered on its own merits, successful applicants should note that if they have six or more penalty points on their driving licence, or a previous drink-driving conviction, they may not be accepted for cover by the school’s insurers, in which case any offer of employment would be withdrawn.

Benefits
Working hours: 39 hours per week, 52 weeks per year.

Normal hours are 8am to 4.30pm Monday to Thursday, 8am to 3.30pm on a Friday, with two 30 min breaks 10-10.30 and 13-13.30 (30 minutes paid, 30 minutes unpaid)

All employees are also required to work reasonable overtime in the weeks preceding, and weekend of, Speech Day, around late June, early July, as notified in advance each year.

Reasonable overtime will also be required during bad weather conditions, i.e. snow and/or ice, and in emergency situations such as fallen trees.

Time off in lieu and overtime is payable, as agreed with the Gardens Manager in advance.

Salary : up to £30,000 per annum, dependent on experience.

Probation period: Six calendar months.

Pension scheme:  Defined contribution scheme: employee contribution matched by School by factor of two, up to 10% maximum

Benefits  

• 50% contribution to premiums for the School’s private health scheme
• Free Westfield Healthcare
• Free membership of dual-use Sports Centre (£25 annual joining fee)
• Free staff lunches in term-time
• School fee discount for children of Uppingham staff (pro-rated for part-time staff)
• Retail, gym, supermarket, cinema and restaurant discounts
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Occupational Health Services
• Free annual flu jabs
• Recognised as a “Disability Confident” employer
• Recognised as a “Mindful” employer
• Favourable rates and terms with local nursery
• Complimentary staff ticket to selected School performances
• Discount at local coffee shop for Uppingham staff.

 Holidays:  The annual holiday entitlement is 25 working days.  Up to 5 days must be taken over the Christmas period.  Public holidays in term time are normal working days; a day off in lieu is given at another time.

 Safeguarding and Child Protection

The post-holder’s responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons for whom they are responsible, or with whom they come into contact, will be to adhere to and always ensure compliance with the School’s Safeguarding (child protection) Policy. If in the course of carrying out the duties of the post the post-holder becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare of children in the school, they must report any concerns to the School’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or to the Headmaster.

Please note this job description outlines the main duties and responsibilities of the position and is designed for the benefit of both the post holder and Uppingham School in understanding the prime functions of the post.  It should not be regarded as exclusive nor exhaustive as there may be other duties and requirements associated with and covered by the post.

This private advert is being managed directly by the employer. English Country Gardeners are not involved in the hiring process and are therefore unable to share any additional information on this role. If you have any questions regarding this position, the best course of action is to apply for the job which will open a line of communication with the employer.

If you would like to view more information on the Professional Gardeners Guild, please click here and the Royal Horticultural Society, please click here

For more gardener roles please click here

Tagged as: East Midlands, full time, Gardener, Private Advert, Rutland